


White hair

by Womble1



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Blond Beards, Brothers, Gen, Siblings, Too much information, white hairs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29412135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Womble1/pseuds/Womble1
Summary: Yeah Scotts got white hairs, but it could happen to any of them - right?
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	White hair

Scott had white hairs, everyone knew it, they had been mocking him ever since the first ones showed in his early twenties. Unfortunately for Scott they just stood out so clearly in his dark hair, but he had more or less got used to it, and frankly was just glad that he hadn't gone bald. Although if he had then he might well have kept his helmet on more often, thereby avoiding a few lectures and concussions, but that's an issue for another day. 

Virgil made it into his twenties and though he was safe from whatever genetic/stress that had triggered the reaction in his brother's hair follicles. He put it down to generally being more laid back than his worrywart sibling. That was, of course, until the day when it all came crashing down. Virgil's eyebrows had just grown back in (don't ask, it's a long story, well several if you tally up each of the times the poor brows have had to re-establish themselves). The drama was all down to one rogue hair, a hair that had taken this precise moment as the perfect opportunity to reinvent itself. Yes, this one hair took it upon itself to change sides, declaring its independence and striking out on its own. It had grown back WHITE! Virgil stared at the mirror, hardly comprehending what he was seeing. What was this? He didn't spend an awful lot of time examining his reflection, most of his personal grooming was done on auto pilot, but even so he was shocked that this hair could just have appeared. No preamble, no warning, just springing up fully formed. He took a deep breath, this was nothing to get worked up about, it’s not like he was vain, who cares right? Straightening up he splashed water on his face and tried to ignore the cluttered thoughts that started spinning around in his head. Could you dye eyebrows? Could he colour it in with a sharpie? He stuffed the thoughts down, he was not going to become vain about it, who was going to notice anyway. Even if it did look more and more obvious as he backed away from the mirror. Enough, this was far too much thinking before coffee, the kitchen was calling.

Virgil busied himself with the coffee machine as his siblings slowly filtered into the kitchen. Scott, still with his head in some reports, his nose drawing him stumbling towards the smell of toast. John, his pristine holographic form poised and ever ready over the kitchen table. Alan, face down on the same table having dozed off with his head in his arms, drool collecting at the crease of his elbow. Gordon came breezing in, with enough energy for them all to suspect he was running off the mains. 

“Morning All!” he proclaimed, he really had missed his life's calling as a holiday rep, thought Virigil, still keeping his head low in the hope of not drawing attention to himself. No such luck, Gordon waltzed past Virgil, jabbing him in the ribs.

“Whats up my old man!” he chirped doing his best to imitate the British upper classes and doffing an imaginary hat as he passed.

“I’m not old, what are you on about?” he blurted out in panic, his hand edging towards the single white hair as if he could physically feel it standing out, drawing the world's attention. 

“Keep calm, pip pip, chin chin, what what?” Gordon was rapidly veering towards Mary Poppins territory as he spun in a neat circle on his heels, before continuing on his journey to the refrigerator. 

Nope, Virgil made a snap decision, he wasn't ready to brazen this out and weather this storm. Scott might be able to take it, but he for one did not feel up to it. Suddenly decisive, he left the kitchen in several long strides leaving confusion in his wake.

“Do you think he remembered he’d left his hair straighteners plugged in?” Asked Gordon, sharing a puzzled look with Alan. Without even looking up from his tablet Scott launched a pastry at Gordon's head, which was only just caught after some mid air fumbling. 

“What was that for?!” He asked the room at large

“Stop winding your brother up” was the monotone response from Scott, who still didn't look up from whatever report was holding his attention. 

Back up in his room, having fished out a pair of tweezers from the nearest first aid kit, Virgil was poised over the bathroom mirror ready to evict the unwanted hair. Every muscle was tensed as he lined up the implement. The last thing he wanted to do was pull out any of the non-offensive hairs. One swift movement, and it was gone, but bloody hell that hurt more than it had any right to! It had felt like it was rooted in his brain. Virgil was loathed to admit that it had caused his eyes to well up, without him having any say in the matter. As one tear rolled free down his cheek, Virgil scowled at his reflection. How dare his tear ducts betray him like that, he’d broken bones in the past whilst managing to keep control of any wayward tears, but one rogue eyebrow hair had felt the need for a dramatic exit. He scrubbed it away in annoyance and leaded back to check the overall result. Yes, success, white hair gone, peace could return. He let out a breath and felt ready to once again contemplate breakfast. 

Scott was just getting up from the table as Virgil entered the kitchen, attention still solely focused on his tablet. As he came level with his younger brother his eyes flicked away from the screen for a second.

“Hey Virg, are you ok?” his voice low, but concern evident in his tone.

“Yeah, why?” Virgil asked. Scott gestured to his own cheek with one finger, drawing down in a line down from his eye, raising his eyebrows in question. The penny dropped and Virgil flailed at his face with his hand, catching the tell tale moisture and swiping it away. 

“Uh, yeah, just stubbed my toe” he floundered for an answer that wouldn’t set the smotherhen off. 

Scott didn’t look convinced, and pointedly looked down at Virgil's steel toe cap boots, but clearly deciding to accept his answer for now, before carrying on his way. Virgil sighed, that would be Scott on high alert now, he better make sure he didn’t trigger any more concern or he would be carted off for a “brotherly chat” quicker than you could say “engine recalibration”. He pushed that concern to the back of his brain, and focused his efforts into procuring caffeine. Giving the coffee machine all his attention allowed Gordon to sneak up behind him once again.

“Hey Virg! Is that…. Is that a white hair in there?!” he was leaning right into Virgil's person space, squinting at the back of his head. Virgil held his breath, as if staying stock still could halt the spread of white hairs. “Oh no, it's just a stray thread! - Agghhh!” the final cry being caused by Virgil suddenly turning with surprising agility to swat his obnoxious sibling around the back of the head, he may have even growled.

Gordon went scurrying out of the kitchen, shouting warnings to the rest of the household that there was an uncaffeinated bear loose in the kitchen. 

Virgil let out another sigh, that would have sealed his fate with big brother. He went to the pantry and picked out a few beers and set them in the fridge to chill. If he was going to get ambushed later to “check in”, it paid to be prepared, thereby avoiding the peaty smoky mess his brother tried to assault his tastebuds with. 

Later that day, right on cue at 6pm, Scott appeared at Virgil's side, beers in hand and questioning look in his eyes. 

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah,” a bigger breath “it was honestly nothing, I found a white hair,” he pointed at his eyebrow “and god it seriously stung when I pulled it out, just made my eyes water”

“Awhh Shit, you know it's the beginning of the end for you now” Scott laughed softly.

“Shuttup!” Virgil loosely swatted at him with one arm, putting on a sulky face.

“‘Oh, cry me river!” he took a swig from his beer “you're not getting sympathy, I genuinely found a white chest hair last week.”

“Too much information Scott,” Virgil replied flatly.

“Oh no, too much information is telling you about the white pubic hair…..agghh” Virgil started batting his older brother away with both hands, flapping his hands in front of him trying to physically keep the mental images away. 

“Nope, nope, nope! Do not want! Go and traumatise the littlies and leave me alone!”

“No point,” Scott was laughing as he half heartedly blocked his brother's blows “Blond bastards, will never know the suffering!” The flailing stopped as Virgil ran out of steam.

“That really is unfair,” he agreed, “lucky bastards.” He took a swig of beer “but they do look like a peach if they try to grow a beard” Scott snorted at that and clinked the necks of their bottles together.

“Here's to hobo beards and white eyebrows!” Scott announced.

“Sucks to be us - Cheers!” Virgil agreed. 

And so it was that Virgil was able to take comfort in the fact that there was also someone worse off than himself. That, and he wasn't ruling out dying his eyebrows if the damn thing came back with friends.


End file.
